Tire-protector.



FRED n. coLvIN AND comms 3. ooLvr'N, or LANSING, MICHIGAN.

` TIRE-PROTECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented Nov. e, ieee.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that we, FREDv R. CoLVIN and COLLINS R. CoLvrN, citizens ofthe United' States, residing at Lansing, in the county of .Ingham and State of Michigan, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in Tire-Protectors, of which the following is a speciiication, reference being ha to the accompanying drawings. I

This mvention relates to nnprovements 1n tire protectors.

One object of t-lie invention is to provide a simple and practical device of this character which may be readily applied to and removed from a pneumatic tire and which will adapt itself to the tire.

Another object of the invention is to pro-l vide a device of this character which will not only guard or protect the tire against puncture but also serve is an anti-skidding, and anti-slipping device.

lVith the above and the invention consists qt the novel features of construction and the combination and ar? rangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a detail view of a portion of a wheel showing the application of the invention thereto; Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the tire protector or guard; Fig. 3,is a perspective view of one of the intermediate plates or members of the protector; and Fig. 4 is a similar view of one of the end plates or members.

In the drawings W denotes a portion of a wheel and T a pneumatic tire thereon.

The improved protector or guard for the tire is composed of a plurality of members 1, 2, 3 vwhich are similar in form and shaped to it the tread portion of the tire. These members are preferably in the form of metal.

plates bent transversely into U-form and also curved longitudinally to a slight extent and they may be of any desired length according to the size of the tire to which the protector'is to be applied. Said members are loosely connected by rectangular links 4 arranged between adjacent members and engaged with eyes 5 formed integral with the end portions of said members, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. It will be noted that the members or plates 1' and the links 4 form a chain-like -body'.which.extends entirely around the tire other objects in View,v

and has its endsyieldingly connected, as present-ly explained.

Themembers 3 are arranged at the ends spects to the members 1 with the exception that their outer lends are formed with elongated eyes or loops 6 instead of the eyes 5. Said elongated eyes are loosely and detachablyunitedv .by a link composed of a Ushaped member 7 and a transverse screw, bblt or the like 8. The cross portion of the `U-sliaped member 7 extends through the eye 6 on one of the members 3 while the screw 8` extends through the eye 6 on the other member 3 and has' its threaded end screwed into a threaded opening in one arm of the member 7, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2 ofthe drawings. This connection between the members 3 permits them to move toward and from each other inl the expansion and contraction of the tire T and for the purposepf maintaining the protector in stretched position and taking up all' slack, the two members 3 are further united by coil springs 9. The springs 9 are provided on opposite sides of the tire and have hook-shaped ends 10 to engage apertured ears-11 formed on the outercorners of the members 3, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 of ,the drawings.

Each of the members 2 has formed upon the central portion of its side edges inwardly extending arms 12 to straddle the rim of the wheel W and have inwardly bent apertured ends 13 united by a transverse bolt or similar fastening 14, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3. The members 2 may be arranged at intervals around the protector, and in practice six of them are preferably used on the protector for an automobile wheel, but it will be understood that the arms 12 may, if desired, be provided upon allot' the members of which the protector is composed.

It desired, the several members of the protector may be provided with transverse ribs 15 which will prevent the wheel from slipping or spinning in mud or on slippery streets and which will also tend to prevent skidding. Said ribs 15 are preferably but not'necessarily made separate andsecured by rivets or other astenings 16.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the invention provides an exceedingly simple and practical device of this character which may be readilyappliedto a ypneumatic tire and which will'adapt itself to .the tire when Vofthe protector and are similar in all reprotector willbe stretched sufficiently to cause it to bind the tire and to prevent it from slipping around on the same, such slipping movement, however,4 being more effectivelyprevented by the arms l2 and their fasten ings 14, as will be readily understood. The elastic connection between the ends of the lprotector is especially important in that it permits the latter to adapt itself'to the tire as it gradually becomes deflated.

Thile the preferred embodiment of the invention'has been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that various changes in form., proportionl and arrangement of parts and inI the details of construction may be resorted to Within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1..A tire protector comprising a flexible body composed of loosely connected semicylindrical platesyto receive the tire, the end plates being formed `'at tl1eir` opposing ends withl extended tongues bent upon themselves to provide elongated eyes, a U-shaped con necting member having its cross portion arranged m one of sald eyes and its parallel 5 arms apertured, a removable vfastening passed through the other eye and the apertures in the arms of said U-shaped member, and coil springs uniting the opposing ends 'of the end plates and arranged at the opposite sides of said'end vplat 2. The herein described tire rotector comprising a fiexible body to exten around the tread of a tire and composed of semicylindrical longitudinally curved plates, each of the latter having at the central portions of its ends integral tongues bent; to form eyes, rectangular links arranged in the opposing eyes of adjacent plates to fiexibly connect the same, the end plates having the tongues at their opposing ends made of greater length to provide elongated eyes, said opposing ends of the end plates being formed at their corners with apertured ears, a U-shaped bolt removably arranged in the elongated eyes of said end plates, apair of coil springs engaged with the apertured ears on said end plates, inwardly extending arms formed integral with the side edges of certain of said plates, the inner portions of said arms being disposed in spaced parallel relation and apertured, and clamping bolts arranged in the spaced apertured ends of said al'I'IlS.

In testimony whereof We hereunto affix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

FRED R. COLVIN. COLLINS R. COLVIN.

lVitnesses EMIL R. ARNDT, Canis A. Pnos'r 

